Light emitting device for use in vehicle wheel

• US 20040257825A1
• Filed: 08/19/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jeongwoo Choi, Nakim Choi
• Original Assignee: Jeongwoo Choi, Nakim Choi
• Inventors: Choi, Jeongwoo, Choi, Nakim
• Application Number:
  US10/644,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20040257825A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/500
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/326 on or for wheels

Abstract

The present invention relates to a light emitting device for use in a wheel which induces the generation of electricity using a rotary power due to rotation of the axle and induces the lighting using the electric power thus induced. In general, the vehicle wheel is installed at both sides of the vehicle body and tires are attached to the wheels, respectively. Regardless of the materials of the wheel, all the wheels are attached to and detached from the axle by fastening means. However, all the light emitting devices for use in a wheel usually employ the power of the vehicle or an additional battery. For this reason, there is a significant limitation in the use. According to the present invention, the lighting is induced by the generation of electricity due to a rotary power of the wheel so that the power can be stably supplied and the lighting can be accomplished when the vehicle is traveling.

Claims

1. A light emitting device for use in a vehicle wheel, comprising:

a support plate having assembly grooves formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof so as to be mounted to fastening means through which a wheel is attached to an axle;

a body coupled to the support plate, and having a circuit board connected to a coil of a coil assembly and a light-emitting element mounted on the circuit board, the body having openings formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof in such a manner as to correspond to assembly grooves of the support plate for the assembly of the body with the axle; and

a cover unit mounted to the outer side of the body by means of a shaft and having a permanent magnet assembly built therein,

whereby when the wheel is rotated, the cover unit is not rotated.

2. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assembly grooves are of a ∪

shape.

3. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support plate and the body are coupled to the fastening means of the axle by means of fastening nuts and fastening bolts through assembly grooves of the support plate with the support plate and the body tightly sealed.

4. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-emitting element is contained in a transparent cover element formed on the body.

5. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coil assembly is inserted into a hollow protrusion that is protruded from the central portion of the body for a stable fixture to the body.

6. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaft is inserted into shaft grooves of the support plate and the body after passing through a shaft groove of the cover unit, and a snap ring is coupled to a stopping rim formed at the front end of the shaft, so that when the support plate and the body rotate along with the wheel, the cover unit is not rotated.

7. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an eccentric weight is installed at an inner bottom of the cover unit so that the weight center due to the eccentric weight is placed downwardly, thereby preventing the cover unit from rotating.

8. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cap is coupled to the outer side of the cover unit into which the shaft is inserted, so that the shaft coupled to the cover unit is concealed by the cap, but not exposed to the outside.

9. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the transparent cover element has a concave-convex surface for scattering light.

10. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein bearings are inserted into the shaft holes of the support plate and the body, respectively, and by means of the bearings, the support plate and the body are easily rotated along with the wheel but the cover unit does not rotate.

11. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein an additional shaft cap is attached to the shaft.

12. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coil assembly is inserted into the hollow protrusion of the body, and a protrusion portion is formed at the central portion of the cover unit for inserting the magnet assembly thereto, and at the same time, such that the hollow protrusion is inserted to the inner side of the central protrusion portion to couple the cover unit to the body.

13. The light emitting device as claimed in claim 12, wherein anti-rotation blades are formed the outer surface of the cover unit in such a manner as to extend radially outwardly from the outer periphery of the central protrusion portion, for preventing the rotation of the cover unit in the driving direction of the wheel through the resistance of the air.